News

News

This page contains news and updates from Clackmannanshire & Stirling Health and Social Care Partnership.

Donations of PPE and other supplies

11th May 2020

The groundswell of public support for the NHS and staff working across our health and social care system responding to the COVID-19 pandemic has been phenomenal. There’s no doubt that communities, voluntary groups, businesses and individuals want to do their bit to try to help. Many businesses are looking at how they can use their existing expertise to produce supplies of things they are hearing are much-needed in the system – including Personal Protective Equipment, scrubs etc. Community groups and others have been hugely innovative in looking at how they can use their skills to help this effort too.

Clearly, any supplies accepted into use across the health and social care system, and for wider key workers, must meet certain quality and safety standards. And with so many offers coming forward, it’s important to prioritise those offers first that will contribute to existing stocks the most.

To do this, the Scottish Government has set up a team to respond to these offers. A single point of contact has been created and any business, community or voluntary organisation now wishing to make donations of PPE, scrubs, uniforms and other supplies should be directed to Covid-19NHSsupplychain@gov.scot.

Guidance is also available to those offering support in this way here.

Coronavirus advice for unpaid carers

23rd March 2020

Anyone providing regular support to a vulnerable friend or relative will want to do what they can to protect their own health and that of those they look after during the coronavirus outbreak.

Like everyone, unpaid carers (including young carers) and people being cared for should familiarise themselves with the public health advice on how to protect themselves from infection. As the situation is changing quickly, the guidance may also change, so carers should therefore check regularly to make sure they are following the latest guidance at NHS Inform.

Carers who do not already have an emergency plan in place may also want to talk with family and friends about who could take over their caring role if they become ill or need to self-isolate – particularly while social work services are under additional pressure during the coronavirus outbreak. It will also be important to make sure you have key information about the person you care for easily available – so that anyone taking over care has all the information they need.

Where carers and family and friends are unable to provide essential care for someone, they should contact their local social work department. Contact details here.

See NHS 24 for advice on coronavirus symptoms; precautions to take; and what to do if you think you may have become ill with coronavirus – www.nhs24.scot.

Covid-19 Update – Message from Chief Officer

18th March 2020

As part of our efforts to keep you informed, we will be issuing regular updates. These will include information on matters such as planning and resilience, operational service guidance, along with signposting to the latest national advice to ensure clear, consistent and timely sharing of information.

A number of planning and resilience arrangements have been put in place, including:

Establishment of a local mobilisation centre

Meetings of operational and strategic leaders from the mobilisation centre, initially twice per week

Regular dialogue between service level staff and also at organisational level

Development of a mobilisation plan, outlining planned contingency arrangements and resource requirements

Arrangements to ensure access to supplies and equipment

Carolyn Wyllie, Head of Community Services, is meeting with each of our frontline teams to put in place preparations to ensure that our health and social care services continue to operate safely, and deliver support to those who need it most.

Wendy Forrest, Head of Strategic Planning and Health Improvement, is leading arrangements around planning and resilience.

Further information will be issued as it becomes available via Twitter, our HSCP website, and through the mobilisation centre to our teams and their service users, unpaid carers and our external service providers.

As you will appreciate, this is a changing situation and we would encourage you to keep up to date with national guidance issued by NHS Inform or on 0800 028 2816, and from the Scottish Government.

Further information specific to our partner organisations can be found at:

COVID-19

Up-to-date information and advice on COVID-19 (Coronavirus) can be found on NHS Inform. If you don’t have symptoms and are looking for general information, phone the free helpline on 0800 028 2816.

Integration Scheme Review

An initial review of the Integration Scheme has been undertaken, however, due to our ongoing efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic this work is currently not being prioritised and will be revisited. Our existing Integration Scheme remains in place.